20. Virtual Time – Part 1

Those who prefer to believe the world was created in seven literal days are often referred to as “Young Earthers”. It is not always a derogatory expression, but tends to class all such as somewhat simplistic, and not in tune with the scientific progress of the last 200 years. Is there an answer to this seemingly impossible dilemma, that of choosing between 7 days and 13.8 billion years? I believe there is.

When Jesus miraculously turned water into wine at Cana in Galilee there were just two types of people present, namely those who had witnessed the miracle, and those who had not. The first group, the Witnesses, would declare their absolute belief in the miracle, whilst the other group might very well pour scorn on the very thought of it. But we must remember that there was a Third Person present, the Creator Himself.

Water enters the vine in early spring, the leaves begin to show, then bunches of grapes grow steadily until harvest time. They are picked, crushed, and the juice placed in vats with yeast which turns the juice into wine over a period of time. Eventually the wine is decanted off the lees, and bottled. This process may take a number of years. Jesus collapsed that time into a few seconds, perhaps instantaneously, giving the wine all semblance of age.

Today very few believe in the Creator, and there are certainly no Witnesses, just those who categorically declare their belief in the “process” rather than the “miracle”; billions of years rather than seven days. But is it such a hard thing to believe in a Creator? And isn’t it then just as easy to believe in instantaneous creation miracles which produce all semblance of age?

We are told that the Cana miracle was the first Sign that Jesus performed. Possibly it is given to help us solve the apparent enigma, how to understand the miracle of Creation. But we must be prepared to accept the word of the servants who filled the water pots, rather than the Master of the Feast who rejected their words. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

About Arthur Eedle

Arthur was born in 1931, and became a Christian in 1948. At London University he gained a 2nd honours degree in Physics. He went on to get a Teaching Diploma, and throughout his career life taught physics in England, Kenya, and Hong Kong. Coupled with his love of science, he was a keen student of Greek and Hebrew, and gave many lectures on Biblical subjects. Read more